The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-08-13
VOL. XXII.-NO. 43. IS

They now perceived the figure OF man,
lying face downwards on the ground.
at is Don Ramon" cried Patty.
'sMerciful heaven, he is dead So near to
us, and we have left him to die all alone r
Sobs choked her voice.
"No, no, senorita; maybe he has but
tainted; it must have been he making those
noises we heard. So he was alive few
minutes ago."
With rcviving hope Patty sprang to her
feet.
aWe must run for help; come, quick,
Antonio"
And leading the way, she flew out into
the air to get assistance.
How came it that Don Ramon lay therq
insensible, now help had come at last? A
the slow hours dragged YEARLY on, ne
and terrible temptation came to add to IL
horrows of his plight. One charge re-
mained in his pistol; he had fred away all
the others in vain. What if he used tll
one to put an end to his sufferings, to q
himself from the slow agony of death by
starvation? The silence and darkness
were having an effect on him which the
pangs of hunger and thirst alone would not
have produced A sort of madness pos
sessed him as the second day of his i'm
prisonment drew to its dreary close, and
his disordered senses filed the soundless,
gloom about him with terror. Fearful,
faces mOuthed at him from ouGof the black
darkness around, lights flashed before his
eyes, strange noises filled his ears, now as
of clashing bells, now as of voices chanting
the monotonous dirges, or, again wrangling
with fearful volubility that seemed to
, crush and paralyze his reeing brain. How
) long must he endure this agony before ma
r ture would succumb, and death come to
4 end his misery? Hewas young and strong;
: he had heard of men living week, nay, n
0 fortnight, without food, and dying raying
f mad at last. Then he threw the pistol
S from him, and falling on his knees, cried
e out for strength to endure to the end; and
It his courage returned and he was sane again.
;. But the evil hour returned again and again,
5 and each time he felt his viii grow weaker
Q and the power of the madness of starvation
d and darkness greater, and the loaded pistol
n lay at his feet q magnet ever stronger and
" stronger,
Patty and Antonio were not long in
le finding help One of the gardeners came
is always hanging about the Alhambra offered
to their services. Patty sent one Of them off
re for doctor, then returning to the tower,
4 threw herself on her knees beside the loop
Ie hole and peered in breathless, while one Of
le the men descended. In minute he was
ly beside the PROSTATE figure he stopped, and
I'd raised him in his arms, held the lantern to
e, his face. A stream of blood trickled from
e. Don Ramons temple, pistol fell from his
hand, ringing on the stone floor. With a
at piteous cry Patty fell forward, and had not
VS. Antonio caught her, would have fallen
n headlong into the fatal dungeon.
70, When she came to herself she was lying
in on the platform outside the tower, and An
H. tonic and a woman were sprinkling water
as on her face. AS her senses came back she
cir moaned out;
les "Too latel We came too late to save
it him"
les "Come, seuorita," said Antonio, 'cheel
Dw up. He is not dead-the young caballero
ds We have saved him-you and l. "
he Patty sprang to her feet, and followed
ed Antonio into the tower. Here she found
pas Don Ramon lying on couch. A doctor
q .Hgessnsqs 9g 7Eg g. ~
he head and doling out teaspoonfuls of nour
Ter ishment to him at the same time. He was
es, soon sufficiently recovered to tell how
is, lying in the half-dazed state which came
ed between his paroxysms of despair he heard
nd the voices of Patty and Antonio as they
es mounted the steps, and in a last effort sol
IN hope fired his last charge. He aimed right
IN. upwards, reckless of consequences, and
5h brought down piece of the roofing of the
as passage on his head, which knocked him
W. down insensible.
do A very short time was needed for Don
he Ramon's vigorous constitution to recover
n. from the effects of his imprisonment, and
ps when he appeared again at the table 'hote
Ist great rejoicings were made. The landlord,
ly Don Jose, came in and made speech, in
e which he proposed Don Ramon's health;
and Don Ramon in answering, made such
w fattering little speech of thanks to Miss
n o Brian that she was covered with confu-
Is sion and hlushes. Old Antonio was not
forgotten, and the only person who did not
appear quite satisfied was Mr.. Birley. He
1t was very glad, of course, that Don Ramon
III had reappeared, but he did think that
:" everybody, and especially Miss O'Brian,
?" made too much fuss over a young man who
I'd had got into trouble by doing very rash
thing, and one, which, if he had taken ad-
I'd vice beforehand, he would not have at
rs tempted. But then he never took sensible
st advice in good part, as Mr.. Birley himself
r could testify.
A few years later lady and gentleman
ID accosted old Antonio, as he sat in the sun
E. before his tower, and to his surprise and
d pleasure he recognized Don Ramon Alvarez
ID and the Senorita Inglesa Dona Patricia.
"a He did not need to be told that they were
bride and bridegroom, and were come in
l. their newly-wedded bliss to visit the scene
of the rescue which Don Ramon persisted
st in attributing to the quick wits of his wife,
n though Antonio had different opinion as
It to the person to whom the credit was due.